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Effect of thidiazuron on ethylene production and somatic embryogenesis in callus of alfalfa (Medicaga sativa L.)

Huang Xuelin, Li Xiaoju, Fu Jiarui, Lao Cailin

Department of Biology, Zhongshan University. Guangzhou,Guangdong；China(510275)

Abstract

Callus initiation from the petiole, induction and development of the somatic embryos occurred in medium B_(5)H, B_(5)g and SH (hormone-free) with proline 30 mmol/L and (NH_(4))_(2)SO_(4) 10 mmol/L respectively. When kinetin in B_(5)H was replaced by TDZ, the colorless, friable and embryogenic callus in B_(5)H become green, campact and nonembryogenic. TDZ increased ethylene production and PAL activity of the callus 3 to 4-fold and 2 fold, respectively, after 3 to 4 week culture. Histological observation revealed that some tracheary elements and their strands were differentiated from the callus with TDZ, but meristem-like structure from control callus. CoCl_(2), an inhibitor of ethylene forming-enzyme, was found to countereact to the effects of TDZ and the effects of CoCl_(2) depend on its concentration. The callus can be changed back colorless, friable one, and its capability of undergoing somatic embryogenesis recovered to some extent, but its ethylene production was reduced, or even stopped, by treatment with CoCl_(2).

Key words: Callus of Alfalfa;Somatic embryogenesis;Ethylene;Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL);CoCl_(2);Thidiazuron

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Citing This Article：

Huang Xuelin, Li Xiaoju, Fu Jiarui, Lao Cailin. Effect of thidiazuron on ethylene production and somatic embryogenesis in callus of alfalfa (Medicaga sativa L.). Acta Physiol Sin 1994; 46 (4): (in Chinese with English abstract).